Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1887-08-20
DOUBLE PERSONALITY
A REMARKABLY CASE WHICH Is
FULFILLING PHYSICIANS.
Some OF tho Queer Fancies Which Belong
to Those Who Live Two Lives-Eccen-
tricities Now Being Studied by French
Scientists-Cause of the Phenomenon.

iCNCAbiJ uCCh dIOubCu but IdIuCT IT,
markable case of Miss Florence Stone.
Notwithstanding the statement of the
physicians in attendance that the phe-
nomenon is without parallel, if the par
ticulars which have reached the public
are trustworthy, it is simply case of
what is known as "double personality"
in one of the many forms in which this
is manifested. About the middle of the
present century case which caused
equally as much establishment was that
of Mary Reynolds. Differing only in
form, it belonged to the same category
of diseases. Mary was brought to this
country from England by her parents,
and settled with them in Pennsylvania.
When about eighteen she became sub
ject to epileptic fits of great severity,
and after suffering year in this way
she was found unconscious in bed after
fit of unusual duration. Three months
after this she awoke one morning
without the slightest recollection of her
past life. She knew no one and had
forgotten all acquired knowledge. Her
condition differed from infancy only in
that she relearned very rapidly. After
remaining in this state for five weeks
she suddenly returned to her normal
condition, having no knowledge of what
had happened and much surprised at the
change of season that had taken place
in one night. She had only recovered
short time when she again lapsed into
her second state, and was once more
ignorant of everything save her existence
of five weeks. From this time until she
reached the age of thirty-five these
changes continued at regular intervals,
and for fifteen years she lived two lives
divided up into alternating sections. She
had no knowledge, while in one state, of
what had happened in the other, but in
the normal condition she understood her
trouble and was much annoyed thereby,
although an explanation of it while in
the second state was source of no anx-
iety whatever. Before each transition
she fell into deep sleep lasting eighteen
or twenty hours, and would wake
up transformed, stranger to those
around, in case she had never met them
in the new state. The most remarkable
feature of these changes was the entire
change of character that accompanied
each. Originally of quiet, morose,
melancholy disposition, in her new state
she became lively and vivacious, and
fond of society and gay surroundings.
There seemed to be two persons, differ
ing in character, tastes, motives and de-
sires, occupying the same body and as
Stunning control at alternate periods. GA
case of double consciousness" was the
only description that could then be given
to the matter; and when Miss Reynolds
recovered, in 1886, it was all soon for
gotten.
Since then, however, many similar
cases have come under the notice of
scientists, who have carefully preserved
the records of their observations. The
French, more than any others, seem to
delight in studying eccentric forms, and
it is from them that wes get the most
Ireland, of Edinburgh. has made a close
study of the question and cites some in
teresting cases, mostly borrowed from
French works. One of them is quite
similar to that of Mary Reynolds, except
that the changes took place every morn
ing. Another instance was that of
woman who lived a normal life for
twenty-five days in each month, and was
changed into "some one else" during the
other five.
A case differing somewhat from these
was that of young man who recovered
from sunstroke under the influence of
strange illusion. He imagined that there
was person within him who controlled
his actions or, as he thought, managed
his left brain, while the right alone was
left subject to his commands. This crea-
ture of his imagination he called Cab
bage, and whatever Cabbage suggested
he had no alternative but to do. This
phe nOmenon produced only mild results
at first, but when Cabbage ordered him
to throw his watch in the fire, poison a
baby and throw himself from third
story window and was at once obeyed,
it became necessary to contine the
patient to an asylum, where he gradu-
ally recovered.
Similar cases were those of the boy
who slapped his cheek because his "other
self" was wicked, and the man who
always passed his plate twice because he
had to satisfy himself and another fell
low" besides.
After study of these curious phe-
nomena Mr.. Robert Louis stevenson
worked out his strange tale of Or
Jekyl and Mr.. Hyde" DR.. Jekyl, a man
of culture and refined feeling, discov-
cred drug, as he thought, by taking
which he was transformed into Mr.. Hyde,
a creature of the most debased and hard
ened moral character, who eventually
committed cold blooded murder. At
first the doctor had little difficulty in
transforming and retransforming himself
from one state to the other, but on one
occasion, while in Mr.. Hyde's clothes, he
discovered that his supply of the
drug had been exhausted. Send
ing for more, he learned to his
horror that the new potion produced no
effect and he must always remain
the hideous murderer, Hyde. 1t seems
that the original drug had been adulter-
ated, and all its wonderful potency lay
hidden in the unknown substance. I'm
able to discover this, the doctor finally
committed suicide to free himself from
the torture he had imposed upon himself.
Although differing from any of the gen.
uine cases mentioned, and even from Mr.
d. - =